


Silly Traditions

by orphan_account



Category: Parks and Recreation
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-08
Updated: 2013-01-08
Packaged: 2017-11-24 04:58:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/630668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Leslie has a favor to ask.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Silly Traditions

**Author's Note:**

  * For [](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts).



“Ron!” Peppered with several sharp, loud, unforgiving raps on his office door, Leslie blew into the room before waiting for an invitation. His eyes flicked over to the remote control on his desk, but it was too late — she had already pulled out one of the chairs opposite him and was leaning over his desk. 

“Knope, I’m really busy,” he began to protest mildly, but she reached over and grabbed his hand.

“Please please please Ron, this is important. And I’ll only take a minute. I’ve got this timed.”

Of course she had.

Ron sighed heavily, turned his attention away from his computer, and gave her his undivided attention. And yes, he was absolutely going to be timing this.

Leslie seemed to be fidgeting in her seat, which wasn’t unusual given the amount of sugar she consumed and the high levels of energy that radiated off of her as a result. But something about her seemed… off. She was nervous. And Leslie Knope was one of the few people who could go toe-to-toe with Ron Swanson and not even bat an eyelash or break a sweat.

“Spit it out, Knope,” he demanded, albeit gently.

“Ron, we’ve been best friends for the last six years. We’ve worked together for even longer than that. And you know that the Parks department is more of a family to me than my actual family. Which, if you haven’t noticed, has dwindled in its numbers since you and I started working together.” She seemed to be finding her rhythm now, her blue eyes locked on his and her hands folded in front of her on his desk.

“As you know, in a few short months, Ben and I are getting married.”

“Really. I hadn’t heard anything about that,” Ron said dryly, and Leslie’s gleeful cackle filled his office and probably drifted out the door and halfway to Indianapolis.

“Ben and I are getting married, and… I wanted to ask you if you’d walk me down the aisle. You know, give me away? Since my dad’s not here anymore. And I know you think marriage is a sham and a pointless concept, and it’s probably a silly tradition anyway. Who says I’m anyone’s to give away? And I know if I asked my mom, she’d be happy to do it.” Leslie finally paused to breathe. “But like I said, you’re family. And it would mean a lot.”

Ron stared past Leslie out the window of his office door. He stared for a very long time before, sensing Leslie was about ready to shoot out of her chair in impatience, he looked back at her.

“Leslie, I don’t believe marriage is a sham. I believe my marriages were shams, because I wasn’t marrying Tammy and Tammy for the right reason. But you are. You and Ben won’t end up like me, because you are both good people, and you love one another.”

Her eyes were slowly filling with tears, and Ron quickly continued, wanting to get this over with as quickly as possible. “So if you want me to give you away, I’d be honored.”

Leslie did leap out of her chair at that point, scrambling around his desk to throw her arms around his neck and hug him tightly, too tightly. He patted her on the back a few times and listened to her sniffle into his shirt.

“C’mon, Knope, pull yourself together,” he said gruffly, rolling his eyes, and after a moment she pulled away, beaming happily at him.

“Thanks, Ron.”

“Anytime.”

She left his office, and he reached for the remote control on his desk. As his finger caressed over the button that would guarantee him a quiet afternoon, she appeared again in the doorway.

“You know you’re going to have to wear a suit, right? I need you looking bright-eyed and bushy tailed along with the rest of the wedding party. How do you feel about a pocket square? The colour scheme is yellow, and we-“

The door closed in Leslie’s face, and Ron hid a small smile as he turned back to his monitor.


End file.
